Karai’s Sacrifice
by maryshine
Summary: An alternate ending to “Enter the Dragons II.”
1. Karai's POV

**Okay, I own nothing! This is an alternate ending to Enter the Dragons. I tried to have the story relate to the episode close as possible! **

"Mistress Karai!" I awake to the sound of Chaplin's cries. It takes a second to remember where I am. Then it all comes back: We are at the final battle with the Shredder. Although we have destroyed the mystics, the Shredder is still able to use his power to put the building in ruins. Although I am unharmed, I notice that the acolytes, the rat, and the turtles, along with the Tengu Shredder, are not in sight. "Karai, you're alive." I turn to see Agent Bishop and Dr. Stockman. "Now if you haven't notice, we are losing. You need to use your connection with the Shredder now before it is too late."

"Stand back," I order as I sit in my meditation pose. I take a deep breath and concentrate. I can feel the Tengu Shredder. His powers are becoming weaker. Although my eyes are closed, I can feel the changes around me. His army is disappearing and the city is turning back into New York. Meanwhile, Bishop has left, ordering Stockman and Chaplin to 'protect' me.

"What is happening?" Stockman asks.

"The Tengu Shredder is pulling all of his energy back into himself". I answer. I start to feel hopeful. However I sense that the Tengu is turning into a dragon, along with the turtles who are with him. Despite the turtles' new form, I can feel the turtles deflected by the Shredder's power, until only Leonardo remaines. Despite my best efforts, the Tengu Shredder is still winning. Yet how can this be? I am not linked enough with the Shredder?

Then I realize something. To be linked with the Shredder is to be one with him. What happens to me happens to him. Could that possibly mean that the only way to destroy the Shredder is to destroy _myself_? I shake my head in disbelief. If that is true then why would the Tengu try to kill me when he first arrived to the city? Yet as I tried to consider this theory, I know that it is very possible that at the time I was not linked with the Shredder's energy as I am now. The Shredder and his mystics might not have even realized this possibility.

Anger fills me. After all, why should I, Karai, the daughter of Oroku Saki, have to end my life? It was the turtles' fault that the Tengu Shredder was back, not mine! Then a striking pain hits my heart: _Leonardo!_ I can feel Leonardo's pain as he is hit by the Shredder's dire flames. All the anger and revenge melts away as I realize that I am the only one who can bring down the Tengu Shredder. With this realization in hand, I concentrate harder to connect my energy with the Shredder's.

"I have the link with the Shredder's energy!" I tell Chaplin and Stockman. "And now he will pay!" As I feel the Tengu's energy fill me, I sense the Shredder's hold on Leonardo lift. _He feels my energy, _I think to myself. Before long, I feel the Tengu dragon come near me. Despite the warnings from Chaplin and Stockman, I continue to concentrate.

_Now you shall know the true meaning of pain and suffering!!_

The green field that surrounds me now engulfs the dragon as well. I open my eyes to see white light, and the Shredder return to his form, minus his armor. I feel pain strike through me. Yet I know I must continue on. I concentrate all my strength on him. Soon I hear his anguish cries mixed within my own. Although the pain is unbearable, I know I have to keep going.

_Karai, NO!! _That voice…it isn't Chaplin's, and it certainly isn't the Shredder's, it is Leonardo's. I trun my head to see the green turtle across from me. Our eyes met. His eyes are filled with…surprise? Sadness? Regret? I reflect that my heart no longer is filled with revenge or hate towards him, but with...affection. Regret fills me. How long has my heart long for his? How differently would things have been for the two of us if I had taken Leonardo's offer to start a new life so long ago? Yet as I continue to look at him, and feel the Tengu Shredder start to gain control, I realize I have no choice. _Leonardo, please forgive me._

I lean back to let death take me. As I hear the big explosion that takes out the Shredder's life as well as my own, I send Leonardo this last thought which I hope he never forgets: _Leonardo, my heart is forever yours. _

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**Feedback is appreciated! Also there is one more chapter after this which will be from Leo's point of view.**


	2. Leonardo's POV

**_Thank you to my loyal fans, Evil Wanda and _**Celeste38 Your comments are always welcomed.

**_And now without further delay, the conclusion of Karai's Sacrifice from Leo's point of view..._**

**_Japan_**

The breeze whispers as I stare at the ground where a young, brave warrior, gave up her life to save the world. Although she died just three days ago, I still feel as though it has only been a moment ago…..

After the dust settled, all that was in the center of a pile of debris was Karai. Her eyes were closed, her arms laid out on her chest as though someone moved them. Karai looked so peaceful as though she was just asleep, but I knew better. I could feel the life totally drained out of her. The sun shined brightly on Karai, making her look like an angel. I looked around to see my brothers gather around Karai. They looked as shocked as I was. For a while, the four of us just remained quiet, as though we were absorbing the events that had just occurred. It was Chaplin's presents that finally broke the silence. He became hysterical, collapsing on the ground, hitting his fists until they broke and bled. Bishop had to pull him away. _He loves her_, I realized.

"You have all done well. We are very proud of our acolytes." My brothers and I turned to see the Ninja Tribunal, just standing there as though they had been there all along.

"Where did you guys come from?" Mikey exclaimed.

"Have you so soon forgotten your first lesson?" Asked Con. "Perception is not always truth."

I started to feel hopeful. "Then Karai…isn't…" But they shook their heads.

_"_But…you were able to save yourselves and the four acolytes!" I exclaimed. "Surely you can bring Karai back to life_!"_

"It is as it must be," Chikara said.

"What…..what do you mean?" I sputtered.

"And why didn't you help us when our shells were getting kicked?" Raph added.

"We had to let faith take it's course. Yoshis and Karai's demise was a part of that," Con answered.

"What the shell do you mean?" I asked again, my voice continued to rise with anger.

"When the Shredder first arrived to New York, Karai wasn't ready to defeat him," Juto explained.

"That is why you were meant to come back to the city," continued Chikara. "To us your new powers to save Karai, to help remind her of honor. Because of all of you, Karai was prepared."

"Prepared for what?" Mikey asked.

"Prepared to give up her life," Con answered. "Once Karai was able to accept your help, she was able to put aside her hatred towards you and came to realize that the only way to destroy the Shredder was to end her life."

Con turned to look at me. "The only way for the Tengu Shredder to truly be destroyed was for _another _Shredder of true honor and virtue to destroy the Tengu. We could not tell you this because Karai had to find her honor on her own, in order to find her purpose."

The anger that filled me was replaced by rage, the same kind of rage that almost destroyed me one year before.

"Give up her life?" I screamed. "That was her purpose??" I started towards them when I felt Don's hand on my shoulder, "Leo," he said softly, "let it go." Don may not have known Karai well, but I could see the pain in his eyes. I turned to see that Mikey and even Raph had similar expressions on their faces. Still I shrugged Don's hand away and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Leo," Raph's voice was as soft as I had ever heard it. I turned to face him. "We are all sorry with what happened to Karai." I stared at my brother in shock. Out of the four of us, Raph seemed to dislike Karai the most. Yet I could sense the regret in his heart. However, I turned around and I continued to walk away to the lair. I needed to be alone.

I don't know how long I stayed in deep mediation. It didn't seem to do any good. All I felt was emptiness. Some time later I felt my master's presents.

"My son." I looked up to see Master Splinter's sad eyes look down upon me. He put his hand on my shoulder. "Come. The Ninja Tribunal is having a service for young Karai."

We arrived to the center of the city to see a cremation center in place. Karai was laid on the center of a slab which was surrounded by a large pile of firewood. Although the life was indeed gone from Karai, she still looked like an angel to me. Was this the same girl who tried to destroy my family not so long ago?

Everyone involved with the destruction of the Tengu Shredder had made a circle around her; The Justice Force, the Acolytes, Bishop and Stockmen. I even spotted Hun and his crew off a little ways. His arms were crossed and it didn't seem like he particularly enjoyed being there. Yet the face that Hun remained for the service showed that he must have had respected Karai somewhat for what she did. The only one who didn't attend was Chaplin, who was still recovering from shock.

The Ancient One said some words, but I barely paid attention. I kept staring at Karai as though she would wake up. Could this fierce, young, women truly be gone? Afterwards life would continue as though nothing had happened. The Ancient One would join the Ninja Tribunal to the next world, the Purple Dragons would continue to commit petty crime, Bishop and Stockman would continue their inhuman experiments against mutants and aliens; and Karai would be forgotten. As Karai's body became engulf with flames, I vowed to take her ashes to Japan.

I tried hard not to think about Karai during the next few days, which is ironic considering I was preparing to bring Karai's remains to her homeland, Japan.

After everything was ready, I started to walk out of the lair. Although my family meant well, I didn't want to have to say good-bye. I wasn't too sure if my family would understand my determination to keep my pledge. Being that I couldn't save Karai, the least I could do was to bring her home.

Although I tried the sneaked out, Mikey still spotted me. He was watching cartoons while petting Kluk. As soon as Mikey spotted my bag and the vase which held Karai's remains, he knew where I was going.

He didn't say any smart ass remarks, nor did he try to talk me out of leaving. Instead he put his hands on my shoulder and said: "take as much time as you need, bro." I was so surprised. Perhaps out of all my brothers, Mikey, who could sometimes be a goof ball, understood what a toll Karai's death took on me.

Now here I am, in Japan. I had no idea where Karai's birth place was, so I decided to bury her at the Ancient One's vacant house. I like to think Karai would have wanted it that way. After burying her remains near Mast Yoshi's and Tang Shen's graves, I make a maker which says: _Karai: Who died with honor. _I feel a tear drop down my cheek, followed by another and another until I am over come with sorrow and collapse on the ground. Now that I am finally alone, I let all my emotions flow through….sadness, anger and ….love? Yes, I realize, love. How long had I felt love for Karai? Why didn't I let it show? How different could things have ended if I had just let my emotions through?

Yet I finally pull myself together and stand up, wiping away my tears. Karai may be gone, but she would not want me to live my life in sorrow. Instead she would want me to live my life with honor until the end. Then, like Master Yoshi I too will be joined with my heart's desire in the next world. Karai, I vow to live my life with honor until we met again. As I walk away I feel a sudden breeze. I hear a whisper: _Leonardo, my heart is forever yours,_ but perhaps it is just the wind.

THE END.

Well, what did you think? Let me know!


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